


Hangovers and Baths

by Wewheresobeautiful



Series: Butterflies, Honey and other Mishappenings [3]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Bathing, Developing Relationship, Inappropriate Erections, M/M, Scars, hangovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-21
Updated: 2016-03-21
Packaged: 2018-05-28 03:37:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6313876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wewheresobeautiful/pseuds/Wewheresobeautiful
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After their night of drinking and fancy food, Merlin wakes up with a splitting headache and has a bath. </p><p>Merlin's late, as always, so Arthur goes to find him and see's more than is strictly appropriate.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hangovers and Baths

Merlin woke to a head filled with drumming and a mouth fuzzy and foul like a rotten rabbit. He groaned, rolling over onto his stomach and burying his face into his thin pillow, trying to drown out the screaming of the small birds outside. His belt dug into his stomach and his boots made his feet ache and sweat. With a bigger groan Merlin rolled onto his back and swung his legs over the side of his bed, wincing at the sunlight coming through his window. He slowly tugged off each boot and sock, moving up to pull off his belt, jacket and vest, throwing them all around the room without a care. He could hear Gaius fiddling around downstairs, collecting his bottles and filling his carrier bag for his morning medicine run in the lower town. He heard the bottles clank together horrifically as they were packed and cupped his head between shaking palms, whimpering softly as he could feel his brain clawing to escape his skull. He sat like that for a few minutes before dropping his hands and sitting up straight, feeling a cold sweat drip down his spine. Pulling off his neckerchief and shirt, throwing them somewhat towards the closet as he threw himself backwards onto the bed, scrubbing his hands up and down his face, already feeling stubble growing across his jaw.

He fell into a soft sleep quickly, hands hanging over the end of the bed, the cool winter breeze coming from the window chilling his heated chest. He dozed in and out, his headache slowly dissipating even as his mouth remained filled with a cotton fuzzy feeling. He didn’t hear the door open outside, or someone rifling through Gaius’s pill bottles. Standing up Merlin filled the wooden bathing bowl with the water pitcher next to it. The water stale and chilly from its overnight stay in the room. Grabbing the wash cloth, Merlin dipped it into the cool water and began to wash the stale sweat from his face, scrubbing over his jaw and hair, down his neck and over his shoulders. Squeezing the cloth and letting the water trail down his back, making him shudder at the cold sensation. He looked down at the manner of scars decorating his pale white chest, the scar of small round spikes on his upper chest, faded and pink from the mace from Morganas henchmen, his first battle wound, a small pink line across his bicep, he runs his fingers over it with a soft smile and the crowning glory, Nimueh’s lasting mark. It looked like the sun, a red round scar in the center of his chest with small tendrils like rays flittering out from every edge. The skin stretched thin and pink raw like a burn would be, it was a fire ball after all. He pressed the wet cloth against it and pushes, letting the water squeeze out and run down. What was left of his thatch of chest hair collecting the drops of water as they dripped down his stomach and soak into the waist band of his trousers. Merlin sighed in relief, feeling refreshed and more awake as he pushed aside the basin and leaned against the window sill, looking down at the market place as stalls were set up and goods displayed, the maids collecting water and buying bread for the kitchens.

Jumping in surprised as his door creaks closed behind his back, making his head whip around to stare at the small gap that was left open, sunlight pouring through as the sound of footsteps hurry away. Walking over Merlin opened his door, calling down to Gaius and shrugging in confusion as there is no reply. He closes the door and goes to walk back to his bed, maybe he can find his spare shirt he threw over there last week. His foot kicks something, knocking it on to the stone floor with a glass tink. Looking down he sees a potion bottle rolling back and forth near the toe of his foot. The hardcore hangover cure Gaius is so proud of. He opened the door again, looking around. No defiantly alone. Perhaps Gaius left it for him. Shrugging merlin pulled the small cork free with a soft pop and sculled the lot in one large gulp, only gagging slightly this time as the thick yellow liquid dripped down his throat. He can’t make it taste half decent can he? Anyway, spare shirt.

* * *

He was late, then again that’s not new for Merlin. But then again they had gotten very drunk last night. Maybe he’d scared him off with that question about reading his future. Yeah maybe that was it, or was he just ashamed of the way he acted in front of him? The drunken giggling and the bird thing. Arthur had to dress himself, not very well mind you. Trousers and shirt he could manage but he couldn’t find his belt anywhere for a good few minutes, having to walk around his chambers with one hand holding his trousers up as he flipped over pillows and pelts. He found it eventually, in the draw under where Merlin keeps his smalls, maybe he should have looked there. He shouldn’t even have to look there; Merlin should be here handing it to him from the other side of the screen. He hasn’t washed, his camber pot is full and he’s hungry, how does Merlin get this all done in the morning? How do you get food? Suppose he could call another servant but that might lead to rumors of Merlin’s tardiness, he does not need to give his uncle anymore reason to be hostile toward his servant, though Arthurs still not sure what he managed to do for his uncle to give him the stink eye every time he’s at Arthurs side.

Maybe he should go get him. Gaius’s chambers aren’t that far away. He could use a walk, see if he could shake off the last of the sleep still clogging his senses. His boots are on two sides of the room; how does that even happen? But he gets them on alright, almost kicking his chamber pot over. He needs merlin. The walk is nice, the serving girls bow to him and greet him with morning well wishes as they pass him, arms laden with bed clothes, buckets of bath water and platters of rich food. He knows some of their names, perhaps one day he’ll call them into the throne room and learn them all. The smiles on the girls faces that he greets with their names is heartwarming, maybe he brightened their day, the acknowledgement from the king must make them feel a bit more cared for. He wants all his people to feel that. He could pull Merlin through the towns one day perhaps, learn as many names as he can. It’s an idea for later.

One of the kitchen girls pass him in the hall, arms full with three different white shirts, all with different stains adorning them. Arthur asked for a tray of cold meats and bread to be sent up to his room when they have time of course. Carol, that’s her name. She nodded and bowed before rushing off again down the hall on light feet. He’s almost there, heading out the side door and into the castle square, the air is cold against his exposed face and hands, should have brought a jacket, oh well. He can see the spiraling stair case that leads to Gaius’s chambers. The doors open, he was going to knock but its wide open, the messy Livingroom on display, books and herbs on the tables and the last of a slice of bread on what Arthur presumes is the dining table. The door up the Merlin’s room is closed, but the wood is thin and the bottom is bent, he can see Merlin moving behind it. Well at least he’s up. Looking around Arthur finds the potions shelf and riffles past a few green and purple jars for reliving varying levels of stomach upset. There it is, his spare hangover cure. Gaius always has one, in case the knights overdo it at the tavern before training. That should get Merlin moving. Pushing everything back to where it should be Arthur carries the potion up to Merlin’s door, the cold glass warming in his hands. There’s no lock just a small hole cut out of the wood to act as a handle. There was no need for one before Merlin came, it was a sick room for those who needed all hours’ care, no need for privacy among the ill. He should get someone in to fix that, Merlin needed privacy, how was he to…. enjoy his own company when Gaius could push the door open at any moment? Yes, he would have someone fix that.

He was about to knock when he heard the sound of running water, Merlin must be thirsty. Arthur knew Merlin soaked up water like sponge he didn’t carry just one water skin, he would often take two on their camping trips or long quests, constantly filling them at any river of lake they found. He never complained however, it was helpful for when the knights ran out or someone got injured. They wouldn’t have to ration so harshly if something went wrong if they had Merlin with them. So of course he didn’t hesitate to push open the door, insult about Merlin’s small bladder dying on his tongue as he stared in awe. Merlin wasn’t facing him but the window, a wooden basin of water at his side as he looked outside the open window at the town bellow. He could see his hands washing his face first with an old looking cloth, grey and hardly soft anymore. He didn’t even have soap; Arthur would have to get on that too. But that’s not what stopped him, oh no, Merlin’s back was a battle ground. There were scars everywhere, some looking like they had only just healed. On his neck there was two round scars, one between his shoulder blades almost that was red and ragged like an acid burn, the other at the base of his neck that looked like a small incision, Gaius must have cut something out but what? The large area around his spine was covered in scratches and lines, the scrapping of falling down on a variety of grounding. But the one on his shoulder, oh he knew just what that was. It was the most faded of the lot, old and tan to almost fit in with merlin’s natural skin tone but not quite, the hit of a mace. He did that. When they first meet. He didn’t think he had him hit that hard, but he must have. Merlin showed up in Camelot so skinny and underfed, he wasn’t a knight like Arthurs friends, how did he not realize that? He was selfish and pigheaded, and Merlin changed that and what did he get in return? Arthurs brutality forever scaring his unmarred skin.

He swallowed the bile in his throat, he wanted to stop looking, but he couldn’t. Merlin had squeezed the cloth over his back and Arthur couldn’t look away, not even if he was forced too. He wasn’t looking at the scars but now, now he could see Merlin. His broad shoulders, small waist and strong back. He had muscle, Arthur could see it rippling as he squeezed as much water out as he could, tensing up at the cold water as the breeze brushed over each river it left in its wake. Soaking into his brown trousers, the waist band rolled up at his hips but still hanging low. Two dimples above the swell of his ass, Arthur could see them fill with water. He blushed hard, tearing his eyes away as Merlin dipped the cloth back into the water. He was going to see him. See him staring as he bathed. He placed the potion on the floor gently and backed out of the door, hand on the old wooden frame as he quickly closed it with a squeak and rushed downstairs and back out of the open door to the castle court yard.

Arthurs heart was pounding, beating against his rib cage like it wanted to escape, his cheeks hot and burning as his breath catching in his throat on every inhale. Worst of all his smalls where tight. He really should have brought a jacket. He rushed through the halls, taking rounds he hadn’t since a young boy playing hide and seek with the wet nurses. He got to his room quickly, only seeing one or two people, thankfully too busy to engage him in too much chit chat, and locked the heavy wooden door behind him, gulping in air as he leans against the cold wood grain, fingers digging in to the handle as his forehead rests against the cooling varnish. He looked down. God that noticeable, he needs to deal with this. Now, right now. Merlin’s just bathed, he’ll be getting dressed soon, heading towards his chambers to wake him, dress him, bathe him. Oh gods. He pressed the heel of his hand at the root with a whimper, god it felt good. That wasn’t the intention. He wanted it to hurt, for the pain to will it away. Nope bad idea. What did he do as a teenager? Corpses, battlegrounds, Geoffrey naked, infected wounds. Ok that’s helping, not completely cured but better. Sitting down, that’s a good idea. There’s his breakfast on the table, Carol, had to thank her later. A variety of cold cuts, pork, chicken and rabbit. All from last night’s dinner Arthur would guess. The cook always makes too much. There’s three different breads, all sliced thick and beautifully crusty. A classic brown, grain filled and herb. There’s also two small meat pies, stone cold like the meats but still smelling of stewed quails and rosemary. Arthur’s mouth waters at the sigh and smell of it all, greedily grabbing a piece of herb bread and shredding the chicken to spread across it. There was a pleasant hum down below as he ate. He was no longer obviously…interested from the sight of his battered and grown manservant but the memories still remained. Flicking through his head like a moving tapestry as he stuffed his empty belly with bread and meat. Leaning back in his chair, Arthur closed his eye and happily drifted between memory and dream. His stomach pleasantly heavy as he dreamed of his fingers digging into the broad shoulders, nails down a strong back and gripping a thin waist. Leaving bruises in the dimples, the V of the bone, moving down. Arthur sighs softly head lolling against the chair back as he dozes off pleasantly.

**Author's Note:**

> hopefully going to do a nice big one for this series to end it but we'll see.
> 
> like always there will be spelling mistakes 
> 
> hope you enjoined reading this!
> 
> EDIT: Totally forgot to thank SuperCalvin whose diagram i used to see where Merlin's scars would be! its massively helpful and i love it! you can find it here http://supercalvin.tumblr.com/post/95061538832/merlin-scar-diagram-because-everyones-convinced


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